• Bleackley began the 2013-14 season, his second in the Western Hockey League, with eight goals and 19 points in his first 15 games, surpassing his 66-game point total from his first campaign with the Rebels (9-9—18). He finished the year tied for the team lead in goals (29) and paced the club with 68 points.

• He was named Red Deer’s captain in November 2013, and at age 17 is one of only three first-time draft-eligible players to wear the “C” in the Canadian Hockey League this season: also Aaron Ekblad (No. 2-ranked North American skater) of the Barrie Colts and Sam Reinhart (No. 3-ranked North American skater) of the Kootenay Ice.

• Bleackley recorded two points and was an assistant captain on Canada’s bronze-medal winning team at the 2014 Under-18 World Championship. He also wore a letter with Team Pacific at the 2013 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, posting four points (3-1—4) in five games.

• His hometown of High River, Alta. was devastated by flooding in June 2013, forcing many families from their homes: “We had to be evacuated for two weeks. We had four feet of water in the basement and a lot of mud. But it could have been worse. The community really came together and the response was phenomenal.”

• Bleackley grew up on the same street as Calgary Flames forward Corban Knight (selected 135th overall by Florida in the 2009 NHL Draft). They often played shinny together on a pond by their house.

• He complied 89 points (45-44—89) in 62 games over two seasons with the Okotoks Oilers Bantam AAA team in the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League. He also won a gold medal with Team Alberta at the 2011 Western Canada Under-16 Challenge Cup (2-2—4 in four games).